Press Release

Chairman Hastings: President Embarks on Political Tour as His Failed Energy Policies Drive Up Gasoline Prices

WASHINGTON, D.C.,
March 21, 2012 -
At a hearing today on the impacts of rising gasoline prices, House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings took the opportunity to address President Obama’s political multi-state energy tour that kicks off today.

Feeling pressure from gasoline prices that are the highest ever recorded in the month of March, President Obama will undoubtedly try to claim credit for supporting oil and natural gas production, while omitting key facts that show federal production declining due to his failed policies that block access to American energy resources.

The video includes these excerpts from the prepared opening statement:

“The truth is that we have abundant energy resources here at home – far more than the two percent figure President Obama frequently claims. In fact, just last week, the Washington Post exposed this myth saying that ‘This is a lowball figure that does not begin to describe the oil known to be within the U.S. borders.’ Yet the President continues to use this talking point. The President is purposely misleading the American people and using a rhetorical trick to underestimate America’s true energy resources.”

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“Rather than increase American energy production, President Obama has repeatedly blocked access to our own resources. ‘No, we can’t’ is simply not an energy policy, yet it seems to be President Obama’s only answer to the current rise in gasoline prices.”

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“The policy of the Obama Administration is to simply say ‘no’ - no to American energy and as a result, no to American jobs.”

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“Energy production on federal lands has declined. Non-partisan data released last week shows that total energy production on federal lands dropped by seven percent since President Obama took office. Even worse, from 2010 to 2011, total federal oil production was down 14 percent and natural gas production down 11 percent. These are statistics you won’t hear from the President as he embarks today on yet another energy tour. A tour that is a political attempt to defend his Administration’s policies, but not the real policies that are contributing to higher gasoline prices.”

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“Although an overwhelming majority of American people support expanding American oil and natural production, President Obama has never missed an opportunity to throw up roadblocks. The President is all talk and no action when it comes to supporting a viable energy plan.”